Incident Overview
A pilot conducting aerial firefighting operations encountered a tree in flight after diverting attention to smoke from the target area. The pilot was on his fourth sortie of the day, dropping retardant on a forest fire. He had lowered flaps to 20 degrees and slowed the airplane to between 100 and 120 knots in preparation for the drop.
Approach and Distraction
While passing the initial point, the airplane was in a slight right bank with a rate of descent of 500 to 600 feet per minute and approximately a 3-degree glide angle. The pilot momentarily diverted his attention to smoke rising from the target area. When he looked back, he saw a dead snag immediately in front of the airplane.
Collision Sequence
Due to the tree's proximity and the rate of closure, the pilot was unable to avoid hitting the tree. The impact deflected the right elevator full down. The airplane pitched nose down and subsequently struck a second tree.
Return and Landing
After the collisions, the pilot regained limited control of the airplane and returned to the airport, where he made an uneventful landing.